Points prove difficult for Norton in match dogged by injury – Cheltenham 31 Midsomer Norton 12

After the long journey Norton started the better of the two teams, putting pressure on the home side. This ensured the game was being played predominantly in the Cheltenham half.

Unfortunately, influential forward, Gimson, was injured after the first few minutes and following a head injury assessment, was denied the opportunity of returning to the field of play. One missed tackle allowed Cheltenham out of the stranglehold and they made the most of it to collect the first try of the game, and this was converted.

Norton continued with the pressure, but little handling mistakes stopped any scoring chances. From a lineout in the Cheltenham twenty-two metre area, Norton caught and drove towards the line. As the maul ground to a halt, Button slid off the side to score Norton’s first points. Taylor hit the woodwork with the conversion attempt.

Norton could not convert pressure into points, with two scoring chances being denied when one was adjudged to have been held up over the line in one attack and then winger, Oakley, knocking on in the act of scoring from a well-judged crossfield kick.

Cheltenham scored a second try, taking the score to 12–5 at the break.

Early in the second half, a serious injury to a Cheltenham player resulted in the game, after a long stoppage, being moved to an adjacent pitch.

Cheltenham recovered from this disruption the quicker of the two sides, and made the most of the misfiring Norton line-out to extend their lead with another converted try.

Norton suffered another injury with Denning being clattered in a tackle, eventually having to leave the field. The reshuffle did not help Norton’s fragile defence, and they leaked another try,

taking the score to 31–5. The last few minutes saw some frantic rugby, with Norton benefiting from a converted try right on the final whistle.

Norton must start to perform on the road, as this was another game where the result could have been reversed.

All at Midsomer Norton RFC wish the injured Cheltenham player, who waited on the floor for over an hour for the ambulance to take him to hospital, well, and a speedy recovery.